Dominican journalists killed during live transmission

Dominican journalists killed during live transmission

Theresa Hayes
|
17 February, 2017, 01:48

Sounds of the attack could be heard on the Facebook Live session along with a woman shouting "Shots!"

A police officer takes fingerprints at a radio station after an unknown attacker killed its director, and shot dead a commentator while he was transmitting live in San Pedro de Macoris, eastern Dominican Republic, on February 14, 2017. Secretary Dayana García is in serious condition after being shot in the stomach.

Presenter Luis Manuel Medina and producer Leonidas Martinez were slain Tuesday when gunmen broke into the studios of 103.5 FM in San Pedro de Macoris.

Police have already arrested three people suspected of involvement in the shooting. "Shots!" and Medina looks up before the transmission is cut off. Shots!" Milenio Caliente - or Hot Millennium - was a popular local radio station in the area.

He told the Guardian: "For gunmen to open fire in a media outlet like this is unprecedented".

A second journalist was also killed in a separate room during the incident.

In addition to his work as a radio host, Medina was also the announcer for the Estrellas Orientales baseball team.

"Freedom of information is also weakened by continuing impunity for crimes of violence against media personnel and the concentration of media ownership in few hands", it said in a 2015 report.

While murders are rare, harassment and intimidation of journalists reporting on organised crime and corruption is fairly common in the Dominican Republic.

In August 2015, two United States journalists were shot dead during a live TV report in Virginia. Police said Olvio, press director of the Dominican Agribusiness Association, was the victim of a bungled robbery, even though neither his auto nor phone were stolen.